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Post by salarzaca on Jul 19, 2012 19:41:22 GMT -5
As I was allowed into town by the guards I looked around. Everything looked so different from the farm. Two story inns and very close together buildings littered the streets. Many people crowded through the trade center where shops for everything where to be seen. Castle Redmont stood a few buildings away, looming over all other buildings. It cast a massive shadow over half of the town and stood on a small hill. To my left I could smell fresh pastries and pies being cooked in the sweet shop. The aromas of the pastries wafted throughout the air and filled my nostrils. In the near distance I could hear the banging of iron on steel as the blacksmith pounded away on a new sword. With my one eye I caught a glimpse of a group of traveling gypsies, clothed in dazzling red dresses. I decided I wanted to get out of the crowd as people where staring at my ranger like apparel and one eye. As soon as I left, a freak thunderstorm popped up, leaving me in the rain without any shelter. I decided to take shelter under the overhang of an abandon stall. It seemed it was late because all of the shops started to close. A man garbed in the robes of a noble. He was rather portly and he wore jeweled rings on each of his fingers. He instantly noticed me huddled inside the stall's confined area. "Now young lad, your either a Ranger spying on my people, or you are helplessly lost" the man said as he laughed I just looked up with my one good eye and the man instantly felt bad. He extended his hand to me and spoke, "My name is Arold, I am the baron of this fief." he said with a warm smile I took his hand but did not respond, I just walked away. " Hey! Where are you going! I wanted to ask you if you had a family!" the baron asked I froze, fearing the man was a Genovesan, I then hurriedly shook my head. "Oh, then you are welcome to stay in the ward until a mentor chooses you." the baron offered. I nodded and followed the baron, I was asked what I desired to be and I replied. "Ranger." That was all I said before I entered the ward and slammed the door on the face of the baron. I didn't interact with the other wards, I mainly stayed alone in my own hut that I crafted out of boards. Many people stared at me, but I didn't mind.I watched as one day, a ranger passed into town. Upon stalking the ranger (quite stealthily if I do say so myself), I learned his name was Elliot. Elliot seemed to be delivering something to Halt. I decided i would try to start climbing again as i noticed one day Elliot on the tree tops, scouting for something unknown to me. I tried climbing the tall tree outside of the ward, but i couldn't get past my fear of going over the first layer of branches. I sighed as a jumped out, hanging my head in failure. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I instantly reacted, grabbing my saxe knife from the hilt of my sword, pointing it directly into the face of my assailant. However, it turned out that my attacker was only one of my fellow wards. I tried to remember his name as he backed up away from me. It was Jim. He was about 15 years old, very lean but also muscular. His dirty blond hair was covered by a black bandanna. He had a small goatee below his lip. "Whoa man!, i was just trying to help!" Jim said. I shrugged apologetically and sheathed my knife. "My name is Cross, sorry for my behavior." I said. I was appalled i had given so much information to this man in this short amount of time. He was the first person i had interacted with. "No worries, i noticed that once you climb that first branch, you get pretty timid." Jim said as he started to scale the tree effortlessly. "I can tell me my secret... if you can reach me." Jim said as he coaxed me into the tree. I was determined to be able to climb again so that i would be able to impress this ranger. I was able to climb about halfway to the top, before i started to think about what i was doing. I froze and refused to budge, suddenly realizing that my fear was slowly crippling me, taking me over and causing me to go into the armadillo position on the branch. Jim jumped down from the top and landed nimbly a few branches above me. "That's my secret man, just don't even think about it." he said as he slowly helped me down. I explained to hi my reasoning behind my fear, and i told him the story of me falling out of the tree. He was very kind and offered me solutions, i disregarded them, knowing i that his 'solutions' where probably just ploys to get me to injure myself. "may i ask you a question?" Jim asked "You just did." I replied rather coldly. "Oh, well that's rather harsh. What i wanted to ask was how did you get that?" he asked as he gestured towards my eye. "I got it by not minding my business, now thank you for your help, but please go away, I will never be able to climb again and if I ever do end up doing it, i will be able to find out myself." I said rather rudely. Jim muttered something inaudible to my ears to himself, and walked away. I felt bad for what i did, but he had no right sticking his nose in my business. I went into my hut for the night, and as I settled in, i noticed a figure on top of the ward, staring right into my eyes.
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dian
Apprentice Scribe
this status thing reminds me of Facebook
Posts: 100
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Post by dian on Jul 21, 2012 12:51:19 GMT -5
Elliot was in the office of Baron Arold, sitting down with his ranger's cloak hood down and around his shoulder. He had tried to reach Halt, but he wasn't even in the fief at this time. Now he was simply telling the Baron exactly why he was here. "I simply needed to send this one letter," he said as he passed the envelope across the desk. "It's Ranger business, and I would simply ask you not to open it out of courtesy. If you could give it to Halt or Will in person, I would be very appreciative." Elliot was using his kind and educated voice and attitude he normally used with Barons.
"That's no problem Ranger Elliot, it's nice to meet you." Elliot stood, nodded his head in courtesy, and began to walk out, but he stopped when the Baron muttered under his breath. "Now if only there was something I could do about Cross."
Elliot rose his eyebrow, "Cross? What kind of Cross?"
"Cross Swiftstriker is one of my newer wards, I've been taking in quite a few more than usual in the past for years." Arold looked like he had a head ache, his hand was covering most of his face in the universal sign for 'my head hurts.' Elliot was intrigued and mentally urged the Baron to continue. "He just isn't social like the other wards, and I've gotten a complaint already about his knives, he fancies himself to be a Ranger when he gets older so he has the knives and a long bow, and no one can seem to take them from him."
Elliot nodded, "I think I can fix this for you - IF Cross has the right personality, I would be willing to take him on as an apprentice, besides Halt wouldn't have the energy to train anyone else from Redmont. If Cross wants to be a Ranger he'll have to go elsewhere."
Baron Arold nodded, seeming pleased with Elliot's hesitated proposal. "Well if you do decide to take the lad on, just send someone to inform me, and you and Cross can be on your way back to your own Fief."
So, Elliot left the Baron's office intending to find this ward, Cross. Elliot had been looking for a good apprentice for the last year and a half, but all of the young kids around town and around most of his fief were nothing like a ranger should be. They all sat at home, did what their mother told them, chased after each other, and continued each day like the last. Elliot hoped Cross would be different.
Elliot spirited himself through the trees as he saw to young boys conversing, one with an odd cloak that resembled that of a rangers, but wasn't quite the same. Elliot hid himself a few trees away from the two lads, using his stillness and his cloak to camouflage himself.
Cross seemed like a harsh person, a bit to harsh for 14 years of age, but he was also secretive. Now, all of this was taken from just a few words that the two had spoken, but Eliot was good with making snap decisions about people.
Elliot followed Cross away until he went into a room. Elliot wasn't being creepy, but he wanted to investigate Cross before taking him on. He climbed through the trees - being careful since he was much larger than he use to be. Just before Elliot was going to turn away for the day, Cross found him and stared straight at him... curious. Elliot dropped down a few branches out of Cross' sight with a flourish of his cloak.
I'll have to stay in Redmont a little longer than I had hoped. Elliot thought as he walked away towards a clearing where he had left his horse, Terra, where he would make camp and sleep for the night..
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Post by salarzaca on Jul 21, 2012 21:26:04 GMT -5
Cross awoke early in the morning before the sun came up. He was determined to find this 'Elliot' character and talk to him. Cross's first order of business was to go to the blacksmith and get his sword sharpened. After he took care of that, he went to the nearby inn. As he walked in, he noticed only a young women tending the bar was awake. "Excuse me madam, may I buy a few eggs? Also, i was wondering if you had any coffee beans or powder?" Cross asked hurriedly, he didn't want any time to slip by. "That is a yes to both of those." She said as she handed him his items. Cross overpaid slightly and scurried out the door before the woman could protest. Hmm,pretty girl. Cross thought to himself. He started sprinting. The blacksmith noticed him and called him over to retrieve his sword. " I shall pick it up later!" Cross called out over his shoulder. By now Cross was at a dead run. Rather than notifying he guards of his leave, he decided to scale the stone wall. As he clambered on top, he took a moment to take a view of the forest. I shall take a look at Halt's cabin first, maybe he is near their. Cross thought to himself. As he jumped down from the wall and landed nimbly on his feet, he felt a surge of adrenaline. I did it! he thought, I finally climbed to the top! Cross began to sprint to Halt's cabin. The aroma of pine and fresh dirt filled his nose. Nearby a squirrel scurried up a tree, probably scavenging for an acorn. Cross's adrenaline died down, and he took a seat by a tree, leaning against it's rough bark. Above him, he thought he heard a movement in the tree, or rather a rustling of branches. He looked up and sighed, disappointed that he would get scared so easily over a small bit of wind. After thoroughly searching around Halt's cabin, Cross decided that Elliot was elsewhere. Elliot decided to rest for a moment and enjoy the scenery. Cross daydreamed about his days back on the farm, riding Wolf around. He wondered what his mother father and brother where doing. His father and brother where probably collecting crops, while his mother prepared breakfast and coffee. Cross missed home, but he decided that his visit would have to wait. The sunrise was what startled Cross back into reality. The beginning of the sun rising over the rolling hills of green grass. Cross got moving. Finally after a small amount of time of searching, Cross found a good sized clearing. The remains of a fire pit where well hidden, but not as well as Cross would've thought. Must be a new ranger. Cross reasoned with himself. He searched and probed at the camp sight for a while, finding nothing of interest. It was only after he looked up did Cross realize the frantic whinnying of a horse. Cross thought nothing of this and he decided to walk away at a leisurely pace. He made sure to cover his tracks as well as he could. Cross than re entered town and decided he would head over to the smith to pick up his newly sharpened sword. Afterward, Cross decided to take Wolf for a ride, stretching his horse's legs. Cross settled in the middle of the woods where the canopy of trees shaded him from the blistering sun. Cross then constructed a small campfire, he learned this fancy trick from his father one day when they went camping in the woods with his brother. Cross had also brought a pot and a pan that someone had thrown away. He fried the eggs in the pan and seasoned them with flavoring from wild mint vines. He then cautiously approached a small stream that was no deeper than ankle deep. He filled the pot with water and then he poured in he ground coffee beans, afterward he waited for the coffee to boil and he enjoyed an undisturbed breakfast.
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dian
Apprentice Scribe
this status thing reminds me of Facebook
Posts: 100
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Post by dian on Jul 22, 2012 20:45:32 GMT -5
Elliot was up an hour before sunset with plans on watching Elliot - not stalking! Stalking would be creepy and Elliot wasn't a creepy person at all. Elliot needed to know more about Cross before he could approach the kid. Elliot was about to leave when he realized he really could make his campfire a bit more hidden - but he decided otherwise. There was no one he was hiding from, Halt and Will were the only ones that were likely to to come across it, and anyone else would just think a traveler had been to lazy to clean up their campsite. Elliot decided to leave it in case he needed to spend another night here.
It didn't take him long to come across Cross, who was heading into the smith's workshop. Elliot listened into his conversation through the week walls as he leaned against it - his ranger's cloak was forgotten on Terra's saddle. He was incognito, and so far no one in Redmont had seen him without his cloak and known him to be a ranger As he listened in, it became obvious that Cross also had a sword. That was a small detriment, the battle master of his fief was no master at swords, he would have to find himself a teacher if he wanted to continue practice.
Elliot didn't move as Cross walked out of the smiths workshop until Cross was safely inside an inn, again he walked by closer and hid around the corner. The Ranger couldn't do too much to listen in but he didn't have to wait long as Cross hurriedly ran out across the square. The old smith tried to stop him, to retrieve his sword no doubt, but Cross hurried away. Elliot was about to follow when he decided to simply go back to Halt's cottage.
On his way, he picked up Terra and rode quickly to his old clearing where he let her and headed to Halt's cabin - but not through the ground, through the trees. He didn't want Cross to find his footprints - and as far as Elliot could tell, Cross was a good potential ranger. Elliot wasn't too surprised to see Cross leaning against a tree near Halt's cabin, which was obviously empty. When Elliot hopped tree branches one last time to get into Cross' tree, the branch shoot more than he would have liked, and Cross jerked and looked around. Elliot stood dead still, waiting for Cross to see him... and yet he didn't. Cross certainly needed a good few lessons in detecting the unseen and being unseen.
The Ranger followed Cross a few meters away as silent as any ranger, undetectable to all not trained by one as skilled as a Ranger. Cross went and actually found Elliot's campsite, and Elliot was about to curse himself for not deciding to fix the fire, when he decided that maybe it meant Cross knew that Elliot had stayed there. As Cross probed around, Terra whinnied frantically, smelling both Cross and Elliot. Elliot willed Terra to stop, but Cross didn't seem to care after a while.
Elliot's possible apprentice to be left the camp site, and Elliot decided to wait, Cross was acting in a manner that seemed to tell Elliot he would be back. Elliot sat down in a very shaded area against a tree. With his perfectly skilled stance, and his ranger's cloak covering every inch of his body. No one but the best Rangers could find him at a distance, and most normal people would simply walk by the figure as long as they weren't tripping over his toes.
The ranger wasn't disappointed, because he soon saw Cross walking into the clearing, but this time hampered down with a pot and pan (odd, Elliot thought) and his sword. Cross was working around for quite a while, and Elliot was going to simply wait and see if Cross was ever going to find him. It didn't seem to likely, and the smell of coffee was starting to make his mouth water - he needed to get on with meeting Cross head on.
As Cross was busy finishing his breakfast, his back to Elliot, the older Ranger decided to reveal himself. Soundlessly he got up and moved 3 feet into the sunlight.
"Baron Arold tells me you'd like to be a Ranger, am I right? That's a bit of an odd career path, don't ya think?" he was referring to all the fear most commoners had towards Rangers.
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Post by salarzaca on Jul 22, 2012 21:36:12 GMT -5
Cross was eating, simply content that he found some remains of the other ranger's campsite. "Baron Arold told me you'd like to be a ranger, am I right? That's on odd career path don't ya think?" Cross wheeled around sword already in hand as he turned to face the man who spoke to him. All of a sudden, Cross' hands went limp as he saw Elliot. His sword clattered to the ground and Cross started shaking. However, he did not want to look a fool so he wrapped his cloak around himself so e would look cold. He also threw all his weapons down as a sign I no aggression. "Yes actually, you are right, I do want to be a ranger." Cross said in a seemingly haughty tone. "And the proffesion can't be thr odd if someone like you is doing it." Cross continued, answering Elliot's questions. Cross examined Elliot. It was the first time he actually got to analyze the ranger. So far, Cross decided he liked this guy. It fascinated Cross that this man could have snuck up on him so easily. Had he not been friendly, I could be dead... I have to pay more attention. Cross thought silently to himself. " Now that we have met, a bit to formally if I may add," he said with immense sarcasm "May I ask why I have been put on your 'to stalk list'? What interest do you have in me?" Cross asked the ranger Cross thought for a moment. So far, this man had taken interest in Cross. He had possibly stalked him across town. Also this man had spoken to the baron, so he knows of Cross' interest of being a ranger. Cross finally was able to put 2 and 2 together to make 4. "I am taking a step into a tree here, and it might be a stretch, but evidence may suggest that you want an apprentice." Cross said tactfully, "And I just happen to be in need for a mentor so I can become a ranger!" Cross finished, a little to excitedly. He stared into Elliot's eyes. Waiting for the moment he so hoped would come.
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dian
Apprentice Scribe
this status thing reminds me of Facebook
Posts: 100
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Post by dian on Jul 24, 2012 21:55:18 GMT -5
Elliot didn't twitch the whole time, he was simply standing with the cowl around his face hiding the smallest of smirks. Elliot couldn't help but admit that he loved the reaction when he scared another person badly, their face was always priceless... it was sometimes hard to not burst out laughing, but years of practice helped that little problem. The first time however, he had laughed so hard his breath had flown away from him. If he did that nowadays respect would probably be lost from him wherever he went.
"Someone... like... me..." he said and tapped his chin. "Now what might that be? I don't think there's really a class of people you can put me in with only rumors to aide you." Elliot tried to make sure that, other than his name, only rumors were known of him when he traveled. Even in his own fief they barely knew everything about him. However, Elliot had only said that to pull on Cross' strings, a fun little game he always tended to play. Though, he didn't want to play it for long and leave Cross worried, so he finished up with, "I suppose it was meant to be a compliment of sorts though... so i wont look a gift horse in the mouth."
"I started watching you, "stalking" as you put it, because Baron Arold was having a little problem with you as his ward. You wanted to be a ranger and the ranger of this fief is most likely done with apprentices - given his last one was so energetic." he was referring to Will.
It didn't take Cross long to finally propose what Elliot had been hinting at for a while. He was basically asking Elliot if he could be an apprentice, and that was exacly what Elliot was looking for.
Smart, energetic, already a little bit trained, and he has a few of his own supplies... He will either make a great first apprentice, or a very difficult one.
"No worries, there's no tree. I am looking for an apprentice, and you seem well and truly prepared to start apprenticeship. I'd like to take you back to my fief as soon as possible, how long will it take you to get ready?" Elliot said slowly, watching the expressions on Cross' face.
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Post by salarzaca on Jul 24, 2012 22:26:32 GMT -5
"No worries, there's no tree. I am looking for an apprentice, and you seem well and truly prepared to start apprenticeship. I'd like to take you back to my fief as soon as possible, how long will it take you to get ready?" Elliot said slowly, watching the expressions on Cross' face. Cross at first was unglazed completely by what Elliot just said. He wanted to seem well composed in front of the ranger, but cross couldn't help but twitch the corner of his lips into a smile. He genuinely felt accepted and he was sure he was ready to become an apprentice. He could tell Elliot was not nervous, but more excited to have an apprentice, however Cross tried not to laugh as he thought of the fact of a ranger being a little bit nervous. His voice quivered as he spoke, although he tried to keep it as steady as possible. "Y-Yes, I would like to accompany you... However, I don't think Wolf is as well suited to being a ranger horse. I would like to keep him however, maybe not for my duties, but I couldn't dare to abandon this horse. Also, as a rangers apprentice, when will I be getting my bronze leaf?" Cross questioned He desperately wanted to become a ranger, however, he knew that as a ranger he would have to face life threatening missions, possibly even going in water and climbing trees. He nodded his head throughout the whole time, just so Elliot knew that he agreed. plus, it might give me a chance to unwrap this mysterious aura Elliot carries about, he definitely milks it more than most rangers do. Cross thought to himself. "Alright I will come, I guess my search for a mentor is over.Take me with you." Cross said as he finished confidently.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 28, 2012 13:26:49 GMT -5
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